The Intel Extreme Masters is ESL's flagship competition sponsored by Intel. IEM is a huge tournament spanning many months and individual competitions culminating in the Global Championships. While each year the games played changes, for Season VII, Starcraft 2 will be played alongside League of Legends. Tournaments involved in the IEM range from small online qualifiers with $100 prizes to huge live events giving away upwards of 5 figure cash prizes to the winners of major events.

↑"Intel Extreme Masters China cancelled" (Press release). Intel Extreme Masters. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012. "Due to the cancellation of the Anime Comics and Games show in Guangzhou, China, we regret to inform that the Intel Extreme Masters China tournament will not take place"